Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in China
China: Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) was 1.01 births per woman in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.01 births per woman
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
211th
of 218 countries
All-time high
7.51 births per woman
in 1963
All-time low
0.999 births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate, total in China, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
China recorded 1.01 births per woman for fertility rate, total in 2024.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 42.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate, total in China peaked at 7.51 births per woman in 1963 and was at its lowest, 0.999 births per woman, in 2023.
China ranks 211th of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in China, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.45 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 3.86 births per woman | -13.2% |
| 1962 | 6.08 births per woman | +57.5% |
| 1963 | 7.51 births per woman | +23.5% |
| 1964 | 6.67 births per woman | -11.2% |
| 1965 | 6.61 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1966 | 6.31 births per woman | -4.5% |
| 1967 | 5.81 births per woman | -7.9% |
| 1968 | 6.51 births per woman | +12.1% |
| 1969 | 6.17 births per woman | -5.1% |
| 1970 | 6.08 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 5.52 births per woman | -9.2% |
| 1972 | 5.11 births per woman | -7.4% |
| 1973 | 4.73 births per woman | -7.6% |
| 1974 | 4.17 births per woman | -11.8% |
| 1975 | 3.57 births per woman | -14.4% |
| 1976 | 3.23 births per woman | -9.4% |
| 1977 | 2.84 births per woman | -12.1% |
| 1978 | 2.72 births per woman | -4.5% |
| 1979 | 2.75 births per woman | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 2.74 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 2.79 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 2.97 births per woman | +6.4% |
| 1983 | 2.56 births per woman | -13.9% |
| 1984 | 2.61 births per woman | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 2.63 births per woman | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.72 births per woman | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 2.76 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 2.54 births per woman | -8.0% |
| 1989 | 2.52 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 2.51 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 1.93 births per woman | -23.1% |
| 1992 | 1.78 births per woman | -8.2% |
| 1993 | 1.69 births per woman | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 1.63 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 1.59 births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 1.55 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 1.53 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.52 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.53 births per woman | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 1.63 births per woman | +6.4% |
| 2001 | 1.56 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 1.57 births per woman | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 1.57 births per woman | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.6 births per woman | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 1.62 births per woman | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 1.64 births per woman | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 1.67 births per woman | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 1.7 births per woman | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.71 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 1.69 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 1.67 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 1.8 births per woman | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 1.71 births per woman | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 1.77 births per woman | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 1.67 births per woman | -5.6% |
| 2016 | 1.77 births per woman | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 1.79 births per woman | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 1.54 births per woman | -14.3% |
| 2019 | 1.5 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 1.24 births per woman | -17.4% |
| 2021 | 1.12 births per woman | -9.6% |
| 2022 | 1.03 births per woman | -7.4% |
| 2023 | 0.999 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 1.01 births per woman | +1.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.01 births per woman is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.8 births per woman, 56% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- China's 1.01 births per woman is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.12 births per woman, 48% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertility rate, total (births per woman) (Fertility World Population) in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +57.5% | 3.86 births per woman | 6.08 births per woman |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 births per woman | 3.86 births per woman | 7.51 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.07 births per woman | 2.72 births per woman | 6.08 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.68 births per woman | 2.52 births per woman | 2.97 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.73 births per woman | 1.52 births per woman | 2.51 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.63 births per woman | 1.56 births per woman | 1.71 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.69 births per woman | 1.5 births per woman | 1.8 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.08 births per woman | 0.999 births per woman | 1.24 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,642 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0176 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate, total in China?
- Fertility rate, total in China was 1.01 births per woman in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest fertility rate, total recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 7.51 births per woman in 1963.
- What is the lowest fertility rate, total recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.999 births per woman in 2023.
- How does China rank for fertility rate, total?
- China ranks 211th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate, total rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Fertility rate, total (births per woman). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.